Case Number 26349: Small Claims Court

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) (BLU-RAY)

The Charge

Romance on the beach. Sort of.

The Case

Private Robert Prewitt (Montgomery Clift, The Misfits) has been
transferred to Schofield Barracks off one of Hawaii's picturesque islands. His
reasoning for requesting the transfer? Prewitt is an expert bugler who got
passed over for a lesser musician at his last outfit. However, the barrack's
captain doesn't have half as much interest in Prewitt's bugling skills as much
as his fighting prowess; Prewitt's skills in the ring are what catch the eye of
Captain Holmes (Phillip Ober, North by Northwest) and his second in
command, Sergeant Warden (Burt Lancaster, Judgment at Nuremberg). Prewitt
doesn't want to step back in the ring and is cruelly pressured by the other
soldiers, often forced to dig ditches and run laps when he won't comply. His
only solace seems to be a fellow buddy, Maggio (Frank Sinatra, The Man With
the Golden Arm) and a lovely bar girl, Alma (Donna Reed, It's a Wonderful
Life), who catches Prewitt's eye. At the same time, Warden begins a
tumultuous affair with Captain Holmes' wife, Karen (Deborah Kerr, The King
and I), which could bring about more trouble than it's worth. With the
tragic bombing of Pearl Harbor looming ever present, the fate of each character
will come to a head in a powerful and provocative final reel.

I'm sure From Here to Eternity has been dissected to death over the
last 60 years. The 1953 Best Picture winner (along with seven other Academy
Awards) has become as beloved as the iconic image of Burt Lancaster and Deborah
Kerr kissing on a surf swept beach. I have zero history with this film. It
wasn't something I saw as a child, nor had I sat through it during my adult
years (until last night). I come to this with fresh eyes to judge it on its own
terms.

For some reason, I feared it to be an old, stodgy "classic" that would drag
on endlessly for two hours. I'm not sure why. It could be my preconceived
opinion was shaped by the familiar cover art, which makes the movie look like a
sweeping romance ala The English Patient. What I wasn't prepared for was
a relatively simple story (told in the most complex of ways) about soldiers
being manipulated by their superiors, adulterous affairs, and tragedy that hits
at a fast and alarming rate. In short, From Here to Eternity was a
completely different (and better) experience than I was expecting.

I was fully absorbed from beginning to end. The story of Private Prewitt and
his bullying from the bunks and barracks of the US army made for a tense and
fascinating film. One can easily see the influence on writer Aaron Sorkin's A
Few Good Men, which deals with similar themes of military hazing and abuse
by both the upper and lower ranks. Private Prewitt endures all forms of
punishment, from physical abuse and humiliating tasks to verbal slings by his
fellow officers, all because he doesn't want to get into the boxing ring to help
them win the upcoming championship. Montgomery Clift (who died far too early
from a heart attack at age 46) had a rare screen quality akin to that of James
Dean; his eyes smolder with hurt and secret pain, making his character that much
more mysterious and impacting. Frank Sinatra -- who is always hard to see as
anyone but the iconic blue eyed singer -- does a fine job as Private Maggio,
Prewitt's buddy in the barracks. Sinatra's Maggio may be short with a lanky
frame, but his inner strength comes shining through, especially when he has to
put up with a brutally mean stockade officer (Ernest Borgnine, in a small but
menacing role).

Other actors also shine. Lancaster's Sergeant Warden seems to have a decent
core, but is tested when he begins an illicit affair with his commanding
officer's wife, and goes along with Captain Holmes' underhanded orders to
"persuade" Prewitt into joining the boxing team. Deborah Kerr is at first icy
cold in the role, but begins to warm up as Warden's affections become apparent.
The relationship isn't a typical movie love story, as each character must come
to terms with what it would mean -- both positive and highly negative -- for the
couple to be together. One of my favorite characters was easily Donna Reed's
fragile Alma, a woman who has never found what she's been searching for and
thinks it resides in her Ohio hometown. There she hopes to become "proper",
which means having a perfect house, perfect husband, perfect kids, and perfect
social life. Poor Alma thinks that's what she needs to be happy, but it's clear
that won't be the fulfilling life she's looking for. Also keep an eye out for
character actors Jack Warden (12 Angry Men) and Claude Akins (Rio
Bravo) in small roles as fellow military privates.

Terrific performances aside, From Here to Eternity boasts a wonderful
Hawaiian setting and tight direction by Fred Zinnemann (High Noon). The
film was based on the book by James Jones -- assumed to be unfilmable due to the
mature content of the story -- and the screenplay by Daniel Taradash (Bell,
Book and Candle) crackles with symbolism and an undercurrent of unspoken
lust and pain. The final fifteen minutes, during the bombing of Pearl Harbor,
are as intense and exciting as anything Michael Bay has ever put on film.
From Here to Eternity is a true movie masterpiece in every sense of the
word -- it's sweeping, emotionally resonant, with an engaging story and
relatable characters.

Presented in 1.33:1/1080p HD full frame, Sony's From Here to Eternity
(Blu-ray) offers a spectacular transfer whose black and white image is
second to none. Rich and detailed with natural film grain that is never
intrusive, fans will be thrilled with how fantastic this print looks. The DTS-HD
5.1 Master Audio track is a very good audio mix that, while often front heavy,
gets a light boost from the HD upgrade. Although not on par with newer and more
expansive offerings, for a film of this age it sounds excellent. Also included
are seven alternate language tracks and 22 (!) subtitle options.

Bonus features include a picture-in-picture track, audio commentary from
director Fred Zinnemann's son Tim and writer Alvin Sargent (Spider-Man
2), a vintage featurette ("The Making of From Here to Eternity"), interview
segments with Zinnemann ("As I See It"), and a collection of lobby cards.